Round Sixteen Report

For fans, it was a welcome return to action for the A-Leaguers after what felt like a long December break (but was only a few weeks). Among the players, a few hangovers and cobwebs were evident, which may have also had something to do with the extreme pressure surrounding the handful of remaining matches. Over the next few weeks, the stakes are highest for Perth, Central Coast and Melbourne but the table is so tight that only Adelaide and New Zealand are really free of the psychological baggage associated with the demand for finals qualification. Round Sixteen didn't really shape up as a turning point for all of those teams, but given some of the extraordinary results it may well have important ramifications as we approach February.

The Knights pulled off the surprise of the round, drawing 2-2 with an over-confident Sydney FC thanks to a late equaliser from starlet Jeremy Brockie. The late appearance of substitute Neil Emblen as a target man up front derailed Sydney's momentum, forcing them to defend (what?!) and in the process lose track of mobile forwards like Brockie and Kris Bright. It was a great display from the Knights, who have usually appeared out-classed even when they've picked up a win or another draw. I'm still not sure they can finish with more than double-figure points, but it looks like every team visiting Auckland will at least be made to work a lot harder to take anything away from the Knights. It's just a shame that in the eyes of so many fans and critical observers the damage has already been done, i.e. the Knights remain loathed and unwanted. Pulling off a stunning victory to wreck the finals aspirations of another club would be a big morale boost for the team and its supporters. At home to Perth in Round Nineteen seems the most likely candidate, a match that may well see ex-Knights captain Danny Hay return to the A-League in the white and purple away attire of the Glory.

Another shock over the weekend was Newcastle's 4-1 capitulation to Central Coast. Before this round, the Jets were of the opinion that a win against Adelaide in Round Fifteen would have all but secured for them a spot in the finals. The rise of the Mariners and the likelihood that Perth will continue to achieve decent results over the coming weeks now means that the Jets top four aspirations are under threat. Poorer goal difference compared to their closest rivals may hurt them in the final analysis, a statistic not helped by their thrashing at the hands of the extremely motivated and fit Mariners outfit. I don't think the Mariners can achieve the second spot they're aiming for, but third on the table is not by any means a far fetched proposal. I can't wait for the appearance of Jamie McMaster in their midfield, nor to see what happens with their suddenly congested forward line. It's an embarrassment of riches for Lawrie McKinna, one that augers very well for a solid run at the title. Their visit to Adelaide in Round Nineteen is one of the major highlights of the remaining program.

Melbourne's life got very difficult with its failure to top Perth at home. The 2-2 draw was not the required result, given the difficulty of their mostly away-based run through Janurary. Glory would be happy to capture a point, which came in quite comical circumstances courtesy of a Bobby Despotovski special. Having had his powerful header saved by Michael Theoklitos, Despotovski face down on the ground in front of goal. When the blocked ball returned to him, he raised his legs and trapped it between his thighs before plonking it on the ground 'below his crack' as Graham Arnold put it. Following up behind the striker, Nick Ward overcame the desire to drive the ball over the line along with the man in front of it and deftly chipped it over the top of the now advanced Theoklitos. It all looked pretty comical, but Despotovski's insight and awareness may have kept them in the finals hunt. (Jamie Harnwell's point blank rejection of a Michael Ferrante's goal bound shot also warrants more than just a pat on the back.)

Queensland can kiss their season goodbye after losing 4-2 to Adelaide in a match they led early on and lost in dizzying eleven minute spell featuring the multiple talents of Adelaide's ferocious forward line. In full flight, the 'train wreck' combination of Rech and Qu is something to behold and only a team capable of shutting one or both of them down for ninety minutes will have any chance of winning the championship. The unveiling of Reinaldo Elias de Costa was a modest success for the Roar and it will be interesting to see if they seek his services in the longer term. With the long layoff between the end of the finals and the start of next season, it does seem unlikely that players such as Reinaldo will stick around to enjoy the Australian winter. Miron Bleiberg will also be thinking about his career, with poor results and supporter disgruntlement epitomised in campaigns such as www.SackMiron.cjb.net giving chairman John Ribot plenty to think about over the coming weeks.

Best of Round Sixteen:

Player: Kristian Sarkies (pictured) - benched far too often this season and out to prove his manager wrong

U-20 Player: Kristian Sarkies

Coach: Lawrie McKinna - regardless of the hot weather, demolishing Money's Jets with his relentless pass-and-move attacking tactics

Match: Melbourne Victory vs Perth Glory

Referee: Mark Shield

Goal: Archie Thompson - Qu's chip was fantastic and Brockie's volley quite brilliant, but both were clearer chances than Archie's, which required a bit of work off the right thigh before a left-footed smash into the bottom corner

4-4-2 Team of the Week:

Shengqing Qu - Archie Thompson
Damien Brown - Kristian Sarkies - Andre Gumprecht - Rich Kitzbichler
David Tarka - Jamie Harnwell - John Tambouras - Darren Bazeley
Danny Vukovic

Subs: Michael Valkanis, John Hutchinson, Vaughan Coveny, Glen Moss